Cookware lid with basting projections

ABSTRACT

A cookware assembly comprises a lid including an underside and a plurality of basting projections. The underside has a center and extending toward a perimeter of the lid. Each of the plurality of basting projections protrudes downwardly from the underside of the lid. Each of the plurality of basting projections includes an interior concave surface, an exterior concave surface, and a drip ridge. The interior concave surface extends downwardly away from the underside to form a bay adjacent to the interior concave surface. The drip ridge is formed along a border between the interior concave surface and the exterior surface and defines a vertex along the drip ridge. During use of the lid, condensate formed on the underside collects along the interior concave surface, which funnels the condensate to the vertex for droplet formation and release from a corresponding one of the plurality of basting projections.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.29/549,460, entitled “Cookware Cover,” filed Dec. 22, 2015.

BACKGROUND

Braising is a manner of cooking food that uses heat, time, and moistureto tenderize food and/or mingle flavors of food commonly cooked in asingle covered pan. Braising is a particularly popular way to cookrelatively tough cuts of meat by breaking down connective meat tissue toproduce a tender end product. The meat and accompanying foods aretypically placed in a pot, liquid is optionally added to the foods, thepot is covered, and cooked at a very low heat until the meat becomestender. The added liquid and/or liquid released from the other foodsplaced in the pot and rises as vapor, subsequently condensing on theunderside of the lid. For typical curved lids, the condensed liquidtravels along the lid curvature to the edge of the lid. When liquiddroplets meet the edge of the lid, they drip off or move downwardly intothe pot along the pot sidewalls. Where a lid is flat or just slightlycurved, random drops of liquid collect and fall down to the food in thepot in an uneven and largely random fashion. While the falling moisturekeeps the food within the pot moist, the irregular falling of moistureonto the food creates an uneven cooked product.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to a cookware assemblycomprising a lid including an underside and a plurality of bastingprojections. The underside has a center and extending toward a perimeterof the lid. Each of the plurality of basting projections protrudesdownwardly from the underside of the lid. Each of the plurality ofbasting projections includes an interior concave surface, an exteriorconcave surface, and a drip ridge. The interior concave surface extendsdownwardly away from the underside to form a bay adjacent to theinterior concave surface. The exterior surface extends downwardly awayfrom the underside of the lid to border with the interior surfaceopposite the underside, and the exterior surface faces the perimeter ofthe lid. The drip ridge is formed along a border between the interiorconcave surface and the exterior surface and defines a vertex at a pointalong the drip ridge positioned the farthest from the underside ascompared to a remainder of the drip ridge. During use of the lid,condensate formed on the underside collects along the interior concavesurface, which funnels the condensate to the vertex for dropletformation and release from a corresponding one of the plurality ofbasting projections. The details of one or more implementations are setforth in the accompanying drawings and description below. Otherfeatures, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the descriptionand drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described with respect to thefigures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view illustration of a cookware assemblyincluding a vessel and a lid, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustration taken along the line W-Win FIG. 1 with schematic illustration of moisture travel during use,according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view illustration of the lid from FIG. 1,according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view illustration of the lid of FIG. 1, according toone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, detail view illustration of a portion of the lidof FIG. 3 including one underside basting projections, according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a center a cross sectional view illustration of the undersidebasting projection of FIG. 5, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view illustration of the lid with basting projectionsremoved for illustrative purposes, according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustration of the lid taken along theline Y-Y in FIG. 4 showing only portions of the lid directly adjacentthe line Y-Y, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustration of the lid taken along theline Z-Z in FIG. 4 showing only portions of the lid directly adjacentthe line Z-Z, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 10A-10D is a series of illustrations looking into the variousbasting projections of FIG. 4, according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view illustration of the vessel, liquid, and itemcooking therein during self-basting, according to one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 12 is a front perspective view illustration of lid and vessel,according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view illustration of the lid of FIG. 12, accordingto one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view illustration of a lid and vessel,according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view illustration of the lid of FIG. 14, accordingto one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description of the invention provides exampleembodiments and is not intended to limit the invention or theapplication and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is nointention to be bound by any theory presented in the precedingbackground of the invention or the following detailed description of theinvention. Relational terms herein such a first, second, top, bottom,etc. may be used herein solely to distinguish one entity or action fromanother without necessarily requiring or implying an actual suchrelationship or order. In addition, as used herein, the term “about” or“substantially” apply to all numeric values or descriptive terms,respectively, and generally indicate a range of numbers orcharacteristics that one of skill n the art would consider equivalent tothe recited values or terms, that is, having the same function orresults.

The current invention relates to a cookware lid with basting projectionsand a cookware assembly incorporating the cookware lid. In particular,the cookware lid includes a plurality of projections extendingdownwardly from an underside of the cookware lid. When the lid is placedon a cookware vessel and cooked with one or more moist articlescontained therein, moisture vaporizes and rises to the underside of thecookware lid, where the vapor condenses into moisture. The configurationof the underside and/or the arrangement of the plurality of projectionscollects the condensate to the plurality of projections, which in turngathers the collect condensate into droplets for release down to foodmaintained within the cookware vessel.

In one embodiment, each of the plurality of projections is configured tocollect condensate from either side thereof and funnel the condensateinto a discrete droplet release point at a vertex of each projection. Inone example, the plurality of projections are spaced from one anothersuch that the drops are distributed substantially evenly over an areabelow the underside of the lid and, therefore, over the food and liquidcooking in that area. In this manner, collected moisture is re-releasedto the cooking items in a distributed manner, not just at edges thereof,continuously and more evening basting the cooking item below

Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates a cookware assembly 10including a vessel 12, such as a pot, and a cover or lid 14 selectivelycovering vessel 12, and FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view andschematic illustration of moisture movement therein. Vessel 12 includesa bottom 20, sidewall 22 extending upwardly from and around an outerperimeter of bottom 20 to define a chamber 24 therein. In one example,during use, a food item 26, such as meat, vegetable, or combinationthereof, is maintained in chamber 24 with juices or other liquid 28surrounding the food item 26. Lid 14 is configured to interface withsidewall 22 opposite bottom 20 to enclose and, in one embodiment,tightly fit with vessel 12 to generally prevent escape of liquid vaporsfrom chamber 24. In one example, vessel 12 and/or lid 14 are both madeof glass, cast iron, or other suitable material.

Additionally referring to the bottom perspective view of FIG. 3 and thebottom view of FIG. 4, lid 14 includes a primary panel or portion 30 anda sidewall 32 depending downwardly from an outside perimeter of primaryportion 30, according to one embodiment. Primary portion 30 defines anexterior surface 34 and an underside 36 opposite exterior surface 34such that the underside 36 faces vessel 12 during use of cookwareassembly 10. Underside 36, or at least portions thereof, generallyangles downwardly as it extends away from a center 38 of primary portion30 toward a perimeter 40 of primary portion 30. In one example,underside 36 extends in a consistent downward angle as underside 36radially extends outwardly between center 38 and primary portion 30. Inanother example, as illustrated, for example in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9,underside 36 includes a depressed center section 36A and a raised outersection 36B concentrically extending around depressed center section36A. Both depressed center section 36A and raised outer section 36B haveat least a slightly downwardly extending angle as they radially extendaway from center 38 toward perimeter 40 of primary portion 30 in amanner encouraging condensate to generally move away from center 38toward perimeter 40 of lid 14 during use as will be further describedbelow.

Sidewall 32 extends downwardly from perimeter 40 of primary portion 30to a sidewall edge 42. During use with vessel 12, sidewall edge 42interfaces with vessel 12 near a top edge 44 of vessel 12 in a mannerconfigured to maintain heat and moisture within chamber 24 during use ofcookware assembly 10. In one example, lid 14 additionally includes oneor more handle 46, such as a knob-type handle 46 extending upwardly fromcenter 38 of lid 14 and/or side extending handles (not shown) extendingradially outwardly from sidewall 32 of lid 14. Handle 46 may beintegrally formed as a single piece with a remainder of lid 14 or formedseparated and secured to a remainder of handle 46.

Lid 14 includes a plurality of basting projections 50 or otherself-basting features spaced from each other and each extendingdownwardly from underside 36 of lid 14. In one example, each bastingprojection 50 is formed as a peaked three-dimensional shape. Eachbasting projection 50 is configured to receive moisture condensationfrom liquid 28 and/or food item 26 in chamber 24 of vessel 12, asgenerally indicated by arrow 54 in FIG. 2, to underside 36 and toredirect the path of such moisture as will be described in additionaldetail below. In one embodiment, basting projections 50 are integrallyformed with a remainder of lid 14, for example, by being molded orotherwise formed as a single member therewith, of glass and/or castiron.

Each basting projection 50 includes a center facing or interior surface52 and a perimeter-facing or exterior surface 60 opposite interiorsurface 52. As illustrated with additional reference to the detailedview of FIG. 5 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, interior surface52 intersects underside 36 along a top interior line 62 and extendsdownwardly therefrom with a substantially tented and/or generallyparabolic overall shape. Top interior line 62 is curvilinear alongunderside 36, for example parabolic in shape, bowing toward perimeter40. In one example, interior surface 52 is concave, bowing towardperimeter 40, in its extension below top interior line 62 forming aindentation, recess, or bay 74 for collecting moisture therein asillustrated with primary reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. The bay 74resulting from the curvature of top interior line 62 and concavity ofinterior surface 52 provides additional surface area for supportingcondensate of interior surface 52 as compared to a straight and planarsurface. The additional surface area of interior surface 52, in oneexample, thereby allows for an increased amount of moisture to becollected into a moisture droplet 58 via surface tension before suchmoisture droplets 58 are released down into chamber 24 of vessel 12.

In one example, each basting projection 50 further includes aperimeter-facing or exterior surface 60 opposite interior surface 52.Each exterior surface 60 intersects underside 36 along a top exteriorline 64 and extends downwardly therefrom. Top exterior line 64 iscurvilinear, for example, bowing toward perimeter with a substantiallyparabolic shape having a greater degree of curvature than top interiorline 62. Exterior surface 60 is generally convex bowing toward perimeter40. In one example, the convex nature of exterior surface 60 serves toprevent or at least decrease the amount of condensate from moving upexterior surface 60 even when lid 14 is moved or tilted. In oneembodiment, top interior line 62 and top exterior line 64 intersect atopposing ends 66 and 68 thereof, which in one example, are each locatedalong a common circumference or circular ring C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), orC_(D) as shown in the simplified view of FIG. 7. Each of top interiorline 62 and top exterior line 64 curves radially outwardly from opposingends 66 and 68 toward perimeter 40 of lid 14. Top interior line 62 isradially inset from top exterior line 64 by way of top interior line 62having a lesser degree of curvature than top exterior line 64. Anoverall depth D of each basting projection 50 is defined between acentermost point of top interior line 62 and a point of top exteriorline 64 closest to perimeter 40 of lid 14, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Inone example, all basting projections 50 have substantially identicaloverall depths D. In one example, overall depth D is equal to at least 5mm, and in one embodiment, about 10 mm or more.

Each of interior surface 52 and exterior surface 60 extend from thecorresponding one of top interior line 62 or top exterior line 64 toborder or intersect each other along a drip line or ridge 70 alsoreferred to a drip edge. In one embodiment, drip ridge 70 has aparabolic shape extending progressively further away from underside 36as drip ridge 70 extends away from opposing ends 66 and 68. According toone example, drip ridge 70 defines a peak or vertex 72, which serves asa discrete droplet release point, at the lowermost point of drip ridge,that is at the farthest point of drip ridge 70 away from underside 36.In general, the center cross-sectional shape of each basting projection50 decreases or tapers in depth as the basting projection 50 extendsfrom underside 36 to f 72. In one example, each basting projection 50 issubstantially symmetrical about a mid-line (not shown) that intersectsvertex 72 about half way between opposing ends 66 and 68 such thatcondensate from both sides of vertex 72 are collected and moved towardvertex 72 due to gravitational forces and design of lid 14. In thismanner, vertex 72 is substantially centered along drip ridge 70 betweenopposing ends 66 and 68. In one embodiment, basting projection 50 issolid between interior surface 52 and exterior surface 60 and betweenunderside 36 and vertex 72.

In view of the example basting projection 50 with a cupped shape of bay74 as described above, each basting projection 50 is configured tocollect moisture along interior surface 52 thereof, for instance, withinbay 74, and to redirect said moisture back into chamber 24 of vessel 12.More specifically, additionally referring to FIG. 2, during cooking,moisture evaporates from liquid 28 and/or food item 26 rising withinvessel 12 per moisture arrow 56 to contact underside 36 of lid 14. Uponmoisture vapors 56 contacting underside 36, they condense becomingmoisture drops or balls due to surface tension between moisturemolecules. The condensed moisture moves outwardly toward perimeter 40due to a slope of underside 36 being collected within a nearby bay 74 ofone of basting projections 50 as illustrated for example, with referenceto the directional arrows of FIG. 4.

In turn, via the continued influence of gravitational forces, moisturein bay 74 slides along interior surface 52 of basting projection 50 tovertex 72. The moisture continues to collect along interior surface 52and, more specifically, vertex 72, forming a moisture droplet 58 due tosurface tension between the moisture molecules. As the moisturecontinues to collect, a size of moisture droplet 58 grows until moisturedroplet 58 has a sufficient weight to overcome any surface tensionpreviously holding moisture droplet 58 to basting projection 50. Whenthe surface tension is counteracted, moisture droplet 58 is releasedfrom basting projection at vertex 72, dropping substantially verticallyback down to food item 26 and/or liquid 28 maintained in vessel 12immediately below, as generally indicated by moisture arrows 56 in FIG.2.

In order to collect moisture from underside 36 in a consistent mannerand to release moisture droplets 58 back to food item 26 and liquid 28below in an evenly distributed manner for more even and consistentbraising of food item 26 below, in one embodiment, the plurality ofbasting projections 50 are arranged in a plurality of concentricallypositioned circular arrays all having similarly shaped, but differentlysized basting projections 50. As illustrated, for example, withreference to FIGS. 4 and 7, lid 14 is shown with four circular arrays ofbasting projections 50, and each circular array includes a plurality ofbasting projections 50 having substantially identical shapes and sizescircumferentially and substantially evenly spaced from one another alonga circular ring C_(A), C_(B), C_(A), and C_(D) of a different diameter,while basting projections 50 in one circular array may differ in sizeand/or shape from basting projections 50 in another circular array.

For instance, an innermost circular array of basting projections 50A isformed around a first circular ring C_(A) concentrically positionedaround a center of lid 14 spaced from perimeter 40. Opposing ends 66 and68 of each basting projection 50A in the innermost circular array ispositioned substantially directly on first circular ring C_(A).Additionally referring to FIG. 10A, a width W_(A) of each bastingprojection 50A is defined between its corresponding opposing ends 66 and68 and a height H of each basting projection 50A is defined between itscorresponding vertex 72 and interface with underside 36 (see FIGS. 3, 5,8, and 9) along top interior line 62. Each of basting projections 50A iscircumferentially spaced from other basting projections 50A in theinnermost circular array with adjacent ones of basting projections 50Abeing spaced apart along circular ring C_(A) a distance greater than awidth W_(A) of one of basting projections 50A. In one example, there arethree or more basting projections 50A in the innermost array, and in oneembodiment, there are eight basting projections 50A in the innermostarray.

The second circular array includes basting projections 50B, which areformed in a similar cupped shaped as basting projections 50A other thandifferences specifically described herein. Basting projections 50B facecenter 38 of lid and are circumferentially spaced and formed around asecond circular ring C_(B), where second circular ring C_(B) isconcentric relative to and larger than first ring C_(A). In oneembodiment, a diameter of ring C_(B) is about 150% the size of adiameter of circular ring C_(A), while other size increases are alsocontemplated. For example, second circular ring C_(B) has a diameter ofbetween about 100 mm and about 106 mm, while first circular ring C_(A)has a diameter of about 68 mm. In one embodiment, the larger theincrease in size between adjacent circular rings C_(A), C_(B), C_(A),and/or C_(D), the larger the increase in widths of the correspondingbasting projections 50A, 50B, 50C, and/or 50D, as further describedbelow, to accommodate the larger surface area of underside 36 collectingcondensate between the adjacent ones of circular rings C_(A), C_(B),C_(A), and/or C_(D).

In one embodiment, the height H (FIG. 6) each basting projection 50extends from underside 36 to a corresponding vertex 72 is the same forall basting projections 50 including basting projections 50A, 50B, 50C,50D, etc. as illustrated, for example, in the cross-sectional views ofFIGS. 8 and 9. In one example, each basting projection 50 has a height Hequal to more than about 3.5 mm, and in one example, equal to or greaterthan about 4.5 mm. In one embodiment, the center cross-section shape ofall basting projections 50 is substantially identical to that shown inFIG. 6.

Additionally referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B, basting projections 50Beach have a greater width W_(B), defined between its correspondingopposing ends 66 and 68, than the width W_(A) of each basting projection50A, in one embodiment. The increasing width W_(B) of bastingprojections 50B as compared to the width W_(A) of basting projections50A facilitates filling spatial gaps between basting projections 50A andaccounts for increasing underside 36 area between adjacent circularrings C_(A) and C_(B), since an increased basting projection widthcorresponding to an increased surface area of interior surface 52 andsize of bay 74 formed adjacent thereto. In one embodiment, widths W_(B)of basting projections 50B are about at least about 10% greater thanwidths W_(A) of basting projections 50A, and in one example are at leastabout 20% greater than widths W_(A). For example, in one embodiment,width W_(A) is equal to about 18 mm and width W_(B) is equal to betweenabout 22 mm and 24 mm, with other projection widths being contemplated.In one embodiment, the increase in widths of basting projections 50 inadjacent circular arrays is proportional to the increase in diametersbetween the corresponding adjacent circular rings the circular arraysare distributed around.

In one example, a number of basting projections 50A is less than or thesame as a number of basting projections 50B, with each of bastingprojections 50B being positioned on a radial line between, for example,about half way between, two adjacent basting projections 50A, that is,circumferentially centered between two adjacent basting projections 50A.In this manner, as illustrated with reference to FIG. 4, condensate thatis collected and/or moves between two adjacent basting projections 50Awill generally be captured by larger basting projections 50B positionedradially outwardly and circumferentially between the two adjacentbasting projections 50A as the condensate continues to slide downunderside 36 toward perimeter 40 due to gravitational forces.

In a similar manner as described for basting projections 50A and 50Babove, additional circular arrays of basting projections 50C and 50D areformed along additional circular rings C_(C) and C_(D) on underside 36of lid 14 with each circular ring C_(C) and C_(D) increasing in size asthey move from center 38 of lid 14 to perimeter 40 of lid 14. Oneexample of a spacing of circular rings C_(A), C_(B), C_(C), and C_(D) isillustrated in FIG. 7, with a spacing distance X_(A) being radiallydefined between circular rings C_(A) and C_(B), a spacing distance X_(B)being radially defined between circular rings C_(B) and C_(C), and aspacing distance X_(C) being radially defined between circular ringsC_(C) and C_(D). In one embodiment spacing distances X_(A), X_(B), andX_(C) are substantially equal to one another; while, in anotherembodiment, spacing distances increase as they move closer to perimeter40 of lid 14. In one example, each of X_(A), X_(B), and X_(C) are about30% to about 50% of size of diameter of the innermost circular ringC_(A), C_(B), C_(C), and C_(D) directly adjacent thereto.

In one embodiment, additionally concentric circular arrays of bastingprojections are formed on increasingly larger and concentric circularrings C_(C) and C_(D), more specifically, including basting projections50C and 50D, respectively. With each increasingly larger circular ringC_(C) and C_(D), the basting projections 50C and 50D, which areotherwise substantially identical to basting projections 50A and 50B,also increase in width. In this example, a width W_(C) of individualbasting projections 50C is larger than widths W_(A) and W_(B) ofindividual basting projections 50A and 50B, respectively, but is smallerthan a width W_(D) of an individual basting projection 50D to continueto accommodate increased condensate along underside 36 as underside 36nears perimeter 40 of lid 14. In one example, a number of bastingprojections 50C is the same as or greater than the number of bastingprojections 50B or basting projections 50A, and a number of bastingprojections 50D is the same as or greater than the number of bastingprojections 50C. In one embodiment, the number of basting projections50D is greater than the number of basting projections 50C such that partor all of more than one basting projection 50D are positioned betweeneach set of adjacent basting projections 50C.

Depending upon the overall size of lid 14, the number of circular arraysof basting projections 50, the number of basting projections 50 in eacharray, and the spacing of basting projections 50 in each array will varyas illustrated, for example, when viewing FIGS. 4, 13, and 15 together.In each case as generally illustrated with arrows in FIG. 4, the numberand positioning of basting projections 50 provides for collection of aportion the condensate from portions of underside 36 of lid 14 betweencenter 38 and circular ring C_(A) by an inner circle of bastingprojections 50A. Basting projections 50B collect a portion thecondensate from portions of underside 36 of lid 14 between center 38 andcircular ring C_(A) that was not collected by basting projections 50A,that is, the portion of such condensate that moves between bastingprojections 50A, and a portion of the condensate from underside 36between circular rings C_(A) and C_(B) collection of condensate.Similarly, basting projections 50C collect condensate sliding betweenbasting projections 50B and/or formed on underside 36 outside of bastingprojections 50B, that is, on a perimeter or exterior side of circularring C_(B). Basting projections 50D collect condensate sliding betweenbasting projections 50C and/or formed on underside 36 outside of bastingprojections 50C, that is, on a perimeter or exterior side of circularring C_(C).

While any condensate captured outside of circular ring C_(D) will likelymove to chamber 24 of vessel 12 along sidewall 22 thereof, the othercondensate captured in one of basting projections 50 will eventuallyfall from vertices 72 as droplets 100 in a substantially evenly spacedmanner as shown in FIG. 11. More specifically, as illustrated, droplets100A, formed from condensate collected via corresponding bastingprojections 50A, each falls from vertex 72 of a corresponding one ofbasting projections 50A, droplets 100B each fall from vertex 72 of acorresponding one of basting projections 50B, droplets 100C each fallfrom vertex 72 of a corresponding one of basting projections 50C, anddroplets 100D each fall from vertex 72 of a corresponding one of bastingprojections 50D. While droplets 100D may be spaced further apart fromone another than droplets 100A, such droplets are generally larger involume due to the increased size of basting projections 50D and bays 74formed therein as compared to basting projections 50A, with similartheory informing the size and spacing of basting projections 50B and 50Cand resultant droplets 100B and 100C therefrom. In this manner, fooditem 26 maintained in chamber 24 of vessel 12 during cooking is evenlybasted or braised via droplets 100 providing a consistently prepared endproduct.

While cookware assembly 10 as described above provides embodiments ofthe present invention, other variations are also contemplated. Forinstance, one embodiment of cookware assembly 110, as illustrated inFIGS. 12 and 13, includes a larger vessel 112 and lid 114 than cookwareassembly 10, and therefore lid 114 includes five circular arrays ofbasting projections 150A, 150B, 150C, 150D, and 150E extending aroundcenter 138 of lid 114 within perimeter 140 of lid 114 following similarstructure as described above for basting projections 50 of cookwareassembly 10. In one embodiment of cookware assembly 210, as illustratedin FIGS. 14 and 15, includes a differently shaped vessel 212 with a lid214 similar to lid 114 including five circular arrays of bastingprojections 250A, 250B, 250C, 250D, and 250E extending around center 238of lid 214 within perimeter 240 of lid 214 following similar structureas described above for basting projections 50 of cookware assembly 10.

Although the invention has been described with respect to particularembodiments, such embodiments are meant for illustrative purposes onlyand should not be considered to limit the invention. Variousalternatives and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art upon reading this application, including the shape or number ofbasting projections, number or spacing of circular arrays, etc. Othermodifications within the scope of the invention and its variousembodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooking lid comprising: an underside having acenter and extending toward a perimeter of the cooking lid; and aplurality of basting projections protruding downwardly from theunderside of the cooking lid, each of the plurality of bastingprojections including: an interior concave surface facing the center ofthe cooking lid, extending downwardly away from the underside of thecooking lid to form a bay adjacent to the interior concave surface, andintersecting the underside of the cooking lid at a top interior linethat extends along the underside of the cooking lid, an exterior surfacefacing the perimeter of the cooking lid, extending downwardly away fromthe underside of the cooking lid, and intersecting the underside of thecooking lid at a top exterior line that extends along the underside ofthe cooking lid, the top exterior line extending along the underside ofthe cooking cooking lid between the perimeter of the cooking lid and thetop interior line, the top interior line extending along the undersideof the cooking lid between the center of the cooking lid and the topexterior line, and the exterior surface and the interior concave surfacedefining a border therebetween and opposite the underside, and a dripridge formed along the border between the interior concave surface andthe exterior surface, the drip ridge defining a vertex at a point alongthe drip ridge positioned the farthest from the underside as compared toa remainder of the drip ridge.
 2. The cooking lid of claim 1, whereinthe drip ridge of each one of the plurality of basting projections hastwo opposing ends adjacent the underside of the cooking lid, the dripridge extends between the two opposing ends with a parabolic shape. 3.The cooking lid of claim 2, wherein the vertex of each one of theplurality of basting projections is located farther away from the centerof the underside of the cooking lid than each of the two opposing endsof the corresponding one of the plurality of basting projections arelocated relative to the center of the underside of the cooking lid. 4.The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein the vertex defines a discretelowermost and radially outermost point of the interior concave surfacerelative to the underside of the cooking lid.
 5. The cooking lid ofclaim 4, wherein each one of the plurality of basting projections issolid between the interior concave surface and the exterior surface. 6.The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of bastingprojections are arranged in at least two circular arrays with each ofthe at least two circular arrays being distributed around a differentone of at least two circular rings, the at least two circular rings areconcentric with one another about the center of the underside andinclude a smaller circular ring and a larger circular ring, and ones ofthe plurality of basting projections distributed around the smallercircular ring have a smaller width than other ones of the plurality ofbasting projections that are distributed around the larger circularring.
 7. The cooking lid of claim 6, wherein the smaller width is atleast about 10% smaller than the larger width.
 8. The cooking lid ofclaim 6, wherein all of the plurality of basting projections havesubstantially identical overall depths as measured between the interiorconcave surface and the exterior surface of each of the plurality ofbasting projections.
 9. The cooking lid of claim 6, wherein all of theplurality of basting projections extend a substantially identical heightaway from the underside.
 10. The cooking lid of claim 6, wherein each ofthe other ones of the plurality of basting projections that aredistributed around the larger one of the at least two circular rings arepositioned circumferentially between two adjacent ones of the pluralityof basting projections distributed around a smaller one of the at leasttwo circular rings.
 11. The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein the interiorconcave surface faces and bows away from the center of the underside.12. The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein the exterior surface is convexbowing toward the perimeter.
 13. The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein adepth of each one of the plurality of basting projections tapers fromthe underside to the vertex.
 14. The cooking lid of claim 1, wherein thetop interior line has a curvature bowing outwardly toward the perimeterof the cooking lid, and the top interior line is inset closer to thecenter of the underside than the vertex of the corresponding one of theplurality of basting projections.
 15. The cooking lid of claim 1,wherein during use of the cooking lid, condensate formed on theunderside collects along the interior concave surface, which funnels thecondensate to the vertex for droplet formation and release from acorresponding one of the plurality of basting projections.
 16. A cookinglid comprising: an underside having a center and extending toward aperimeter of the cooking lid; and a plurality of basting projectionsarranged in at least two circular arrays, each of the plurality ofbasting projections comprising: an interior concave surface facing thecenter of the cooking lid and intersecting the underside of the cookinglid at a top interior line that extends along the underside of thecooking lid; a bay adjacent to the interior concave surface; an exteriorsurface facing the perimeter of the cooking lid and intersecting theunderside of the cooking lid at a top exterior line that extends alongthe underside of the cooking lid, the top exterior line extending alongthe underside of the cooking lid between the perimeter of the cookinglid and the top interior line, and the top interior line extending alongthe underside of the cooking lid between the center of the cooking lidand the top exterior line; and a drip ridge formed along a borderbetween the interior concave surface and the exterior surface, the dripridge comprising: two opposing ends adjacent the underside of thecooking lid; and a vertex at a point along the drip ridge positioned thefarthest from the underside as compared to a remainder of the dripridge; wherein the drip ridge extends between the two opposing ends witha parabolic shape; wherein the vertex defines a discrete lowermost pointof the interior concave surface relative to the underside of the cookinglid; and wherein at least one of the at least two circular arrays aredistributed around a different one of at least two circular rings, andthe at least two circular rings are concentric with one another aboutthe center of the underside.
 17. The cooking lid of claim 16, whereinduring use of the cooking lid, condensate formed on the undersidecollects along the interior concave surface, which funnels thecondensate to the vertex for droplet formation and release from acorresponding one of the plurality of basting projections.
 18. Thecooking lid of claim 16, wherein the vertex defines a radially outermostpoint of the interior concave surface relative to the underside of thecooking lid.